Curling hack assembly

ABSTRACT

A curling hack assembly adapted for connection to an end portion on the ice rink having a footrest connected to an elongated rigid member. Said elongated member is connected to the end of the rink by a specially constructed bracket which permits the elongated member and the attached footrest to be pivoted upwardly away from the ice surface and which also permits the elongated member and the footrest to be adjusted laterally in a direction transverse to the longitudinal center line of the rink.

n 1 ammm nited States Ernest W. McPherson FOREIGN PATENTS 959,628 l0/l949 France........................

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Beatrice Brown Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman [72] inventor R.R.#2, Calgary, Alberta, Canada N mw L n n wmb uuan AFPP 11]] 1252 .2243 [[lzl.

[33] Canada [31] 023,428

[54] CURLING HACK ASSEMBLY 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: A curling hack assembly adapted for connection R0 35 6N 1 1 17 l 5 3ba 7 9 2% 5 nnu u 1 0 m m n m moo "4 u mmh ""c "8 ""e ""S In 0 W d sum UIF 11]] .2 0 555 ill.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,051,486 8/1962 Zenchenko...................

footrest to be adjusted laterally in a direction transverse to the longitudinal center line of the rink.

'PATENTEDNDV 2 Ian 3.617.062

'SHEET 3 BF 4 fall/57 'MaP/mzsorr FIG. [8

CURLING HACK ASSEMBLY This invention relates generally to the game of curling and, in particular, to an improved curling hack assembly for use in a curling rink.

As is well known, the game of curling is played on an elongated sheet of ice known as the rink." The curling stones are delivered to the opposing house" by the players from a position closely adjacent each of the opposing ends of the rink, such positions each being defined by an assembly known as the "hack." In a standard curling rink the hacks are about 138 feet apart.

Each of the prior art hacks comprise a pair of cupped molded rubber members positioned closely together on opposing sides of the longitudinal center line of the rink. A righthanded player places his right foot in the left-hand hack; a Iefthanded player does the opposite whereby the curling stones may be delivered with their centers upon the center line of the rink. The prior art hacks, which are usually embedded in the surface of the ice, give rise to a host of problems as follows:

1. Ice chips and debris tend to accumulate therein,

2. The refrigeration tubing below ice surface may have to be altered to accommodate for embedded hack members.

3. Standard hacks must be removed during flooding of ice and thereafter reembedded in ice surface.

4. Curling stones occasionally strike the hacks thus causing stones to topple over with possible attendant damage to ice surface and to handles of stones.

5. The hacks constitute an annoying obstruction on an otherwise smooth surface when ice is being swept; the depressions created by the hacks also occasionally cause players to trip and fall.

The present invention provides a curling hack assembly which to a large extent overcomes the problems referred to above. The novel curling hack assembly includes a footrest, preferably of rubber, the latter being attached to one end of elongated rigid member. The other end of the elongated member is adapted to be connected to a backboard at the end of the rink via a specially constructed bracket which (a) provides a pivot means which permit the elongated member and the footrest to be pivoted upwardly away from the ice surface and, in the preferred embodiment, (b) permits the elongated member and footrest to be adjusted laterally in a direction transverse to the longitudinal center line of the rink. The assembly is also preferably provided with means to permit adjustment of the elevation of the elongated member and the footrest thereby to accommodate for changes in the elevation of the ice surface due to repeated floodings of the ice during the curling season.

By providing for lateral adjustment on the ice, only one footrest and associated elongated member are required at each end of the rink since a left-handed player can readily shift the footrest laterally over to a position on the right-hand side of the rink centerline, while a right-handed player will do the opposite.

By providing for upward pivotting of the footrest and its associated member, the latter may be readily taken out of the way when the ice is being swept, resurfaced, or flooded. In addition the upward pivotting feature permits the hack at the end of the rink opposite the end from which rocks are being delivered to be removed from the path of the moving rocks thereby reducing one source of possible damage to the latter.

Other advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FIGS. 1 and 1A are perspective views of opposing sides of the hack assembly according to the present invention as it appears when in position at one end of a curling rink;

FIG. 1B is a plan view of a typical curling rink incorporating the curling hack assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the footrest per se;

FIG. 2A is a section view taken along line 2A-2A in FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 2B is a section view taken along line 28-28 in FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows:

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of other components of the hack assembly shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 1A;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the friction disc assembly for maintaining the footrest in the raised position.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B the hack assembly 10 of the present invention is shown mounted on the backboard 12 at each end of the rink 13. The rink 13 is, per se, of a standard construction and layout well known in the art and need not be described further here. The hack assembly includes a footrest 14 which is connected to elongated connecter bar 16, the latter being connected via bracket assembly 18 to backboard 12 for both pivotal and lateral motion with respect to the latter.

Bracket assembly 18 includes an L-shaped plate 20, one leg of the L being secured by welding or the like to an end portion of connecter bar 16. The other leg of the L-shaped plate 20 is provided with a pair of elongated slots 22 which receive threaded fastener members 24. Fasteners 24 serve to connect L-shaped plate 20 to plate 26 (FIG. 4) the latter having apertures 28 therein to receive fasteners 24. Plate 26 has secured thereto a tubular member 30 the latter being slidably and pivotally mounted upon the elongated rod 32. Rod 32 is secured at its opposite ends within collars 34 by setscrews 35, the collars 34 being welded or otherwise secured adjacent opposing ends of the angle member 36. Angle member 36 is secured to the backboard 12 by means of spaced fasteners 38.

Also mounted for sliding movement on rod 32 is a yoke 40 (see FIG. 3) which embraces the tubular member 30. Yoke 40 includes a U-shaped upper portion 42 having leg portions 44 interconnected at their lower ends by member 46. Apertures 48 in leg portions 44 slidably receive rod 32.

When the apparatus is in its assembled condition, leg portions 44 of yoke 40 are sufficiently closely spaced from surface portion 50 of angle member 36 as to prevent substantial pivotal movement of yoke 40 about rod 32.

Interconnected between L-shaped plate 20 and yoke 40 is a friction assembly 51 which serves to maintain footrest l4, and connecter bar 16 in position when they have been swung upwardly out of the way for ice-cleaning purposes or the like. Assembly 51 comprises a pair of links 52, 54pivotally interconnected between member 20 and yoke 40, relative pivotal movement of the former causing links 52 and 54 to pivot relative to one another. A friction disc 56 is interposed between the pivotally connected end portions of links 52 and 54 and compression springs 58 urge said end portions of links 52 and 54 into frictional engagement with the opposite sides of disc 56. This arrangement serves as a restraint against free pivotal movement of member 20, connecter bar 16 and footrest I4 about rod 32, thus, as mentioned above, preventing accidental dislodgement of the footrest and its associated assembly from the upright position. As shown in FIGS. 1A, 3 and 5, the link 52 is connected to yoke 40 via bolt with the end of link 52 having a curved slot 82 therein through which bolt 80 passes. Yoke 40 is also provided with a screw 84 (FIG. 1A) which is vertically adjustably mounted on yoke 40 via lug 86. When the footrest 14 is lowered downwardly and approaches the ice surface, the tip of the adjustment screw 84 comes into contact with ear 87 on link 52 thus causing movement of bolt 80 with respect to link 52 within and along the curved slot 82. This effectively releases the restraining force or tension provided by the friction assembly 50 thus permitting the footrest l4 and connecter bar 16 to fall freely the last I X or 2 inches onto the ice surface. If the tension were not released in this manner, there would be a tendency. for yoke 40 to rotate about rod 32 into contact with angle member 36 thus causing undue friction between the latter and yoke 40 and making lateral adjustment of the hack assembly along rod 32 difficult.

The footrest 14 (FIGS. 2, 2A and 28) per se comprises a one-piece molded rubber member. The footrest 14 includes a connecter portion 60 adapted to snugly receive an end portion of connecter bar 16. and a main body portion 62 having its longitudinal axis in line with the longitudinal axis of portion 60. Body portion 62 includes a web 64 of width sufficient to accommodate the players foot and an upstanding pair of spaced sidewalls 66 connected adjacent opposed marginal edges of web 64 and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body portion 62.

The leading edge of the main body portion 62 is defined by the curved marginal edge 68 of web 64 while the trailing edge of the latter is connected to an upwardly extending section 70 which interconnects the upper surface of web 64 with the upper surface of connecter portion 60. Connecter portion 60 also includes therein a relatively deep narrow slot 72 of dimensions sufficient such that a reasonable length of an end portion of elongated bar 16 may be snugly received therein. This permits footrest 14 to be attached to connecter bar 16 in such a manner that a worn footrest may readily be removed and replaced with a new one. Generally speaking, the use of additional adhesives or fastener members, in connecting footrest 14 to bar 16, is not required provided slot 72 is made sufficiently deep and of dimensions such that the end of bar 16 is snugly received therein.

in use, the footrest l4, connector bar 16 are swung to the downward position such that they lie on the ice surface. The player then shifts the above assembly laterally to the appropriate side of the center line and delivers his curling stone at the left-hand side of FIG. 1B the full line hack position would be used by a right-handed player while the dotted line position would be used by a left-handed player. At the end of the game when the ice is being cleaned and pebbled the footrest l4 and its associated assembly are swung upwardly out of the way. The above-mentioned assembly is also kept in the upright position during resurfacing of the ice, i.e., during scraping and flooding, with changes in the overall level of the ice surface being taken care of adjusting L-shaped member 20 upwardly or downwardly with respect to plate 26.

I claim:

1. in combination with a curling rink including an elongated sheet of ice with an end member located at each of the opposing ends of said rink, a curling hack assembly associated with each end member of the curling rink, each curling hack assembly comprising; a footrest for receiving the foot of a curler during delivery of a curling stone, a bracket assembly connected to the associated end member of the curling rink, a connecter member connecting said footrest in spaced relation to the bracket assembly, said bracket assembly including pivot means arranged to permit said footrest and connecter member to be pivoted upwardly from a position adjacent the surface of the rink ice to a position raised above the ice surface.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said bracket assembly is arranged to permit rectilinear movement of the footrest and connecter member in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the curling rink so that said footrest may be moved from one side of said longitudinal axis to the other to permit said footrest to be used by either left-handed or right-handed curlers when delivering a curling stone.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said bracket assembly comprises: an elongated rod, means connecting said elongated rod to said end member of the curling rink such that said elongated rod extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the curling rink, and means associated with said connector member adapted to provide said pivotal movement thereof about said rod and said rectilinear movement thereof along the rod.

4. The combination defined in claim 2 further including means for helping to maintain the footrest and connecter member in the raised position.

5. A curling hack assembly adapted for use in a curling rink comprising: a footrest for receiving the foot of a curler, a bracket assembly adapted to be connected to an end portion of the curling rink, a connecter member interconnecting said footrest with the bracket assembly, said bracket assembly including pivot means arranged to permit said footrest and connecter member to be pivoted relative to said bracket assembly such that when said bracket assembly is connected to said end portion of the curling rink said footrest and connecter member may be pivoted upwardly from a position ad'acent the surface of the rink ice to a positron raised above t e ice surface, and wherein said footrest comprises a unitary body of a flexible material and includes a connecter portion and a main body portion, the main body portion including a web portion of dimensions sufficient to receive a curlers foot, the web portion having spaced upstanding sidewalls located on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis of the footrest thereby defining a partial enclosure to receive a curlers foot, said connecter portion being constructed and arranged to provide the connection of the footrest to the elongated connecter member.

6. The assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said connecter portion includes therein a relatively deep slot of dimensions such that it snugly receives an end portion of said connecter member. 

1. In combination with a curling rink including an elongated sheet of ice with an end member located at each of the opposing ends of said rink, a curling hack assembly associated with each end member of the curling rink, each curling hack assembly comprising; a footrest for receiving the foot of a curler during delivery of a curling stone, a bracket assembly connected to the associated end member of the curling rink, a connecter member connecting said footrest in spaced relation to the bracket assembly, said bracket assembly including pivot means arranged to permit said footrest and connecter member to be pivoted upwardly from a position adjacent the surface of the rink ice to a position raised above the ice surface.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said bracket assembly is arranged to permit rectilinear movement of the footrest and connecter member in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the curling rink so that said footrest may be moved from one side of said longitudinal axis to the other to permit said footrest to be used by either left-handed or right-handed curlers when delivering a curling stone.
 3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said bracket assembly comprises: an elongated rod, means connecting said elongated rod to said end member of the curling rink such that said elongated rod extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the curling rink, and means associated with said connector member adapted to provide said pivotal movement thereof about said rod and said rectilinear movement thereof along the rod.
 4. The combination defined in claim 2 further including means for helping to maintain the footrest and connecter member in the raised position.
 5. A curling hack assembly adapted for use in a curling rink comprising: a footrest for receiving the foot of a curler, a bracket assembly adapted to be connected to an end portion of the curling rink, a connecter member interconnecting said footrest with the bracket assembly, said bracket assembly including pivot means arranged to permit said footrest and connecter member to be pivoted relative to said bracket assembly such that when said bracket assembly is connected to said end portion of the curling rink said footrest and connecter member may be pivoted upwardly from a position adjacent the surface of the rink ice to a position raised above the ice surface, and wherein said footrest comprises a unitary body of a flexible material and includes a connecter portion and a main body portion, the main body portion including a web portion of dimensions sufficient to receive a curler''s foot, the web portion having spaced upstanding sidewalls located on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis of the footrest thereby defining a partial enclosure to receive a curler''s foot, said connecter portion being constructed and arranged to provide the connection of the footrest to the elongated connecter member.
 6. The assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said connecter portion includes therein a relatively deep slot of dimensions such that it snugly receives an end portion of said connecter member. 